EU leaders call for action on Chinese steel

HANGZHOU, China (AP) — European Union leaders have called for China to take action on its bloated steel industry and defended an order to Ireland to collect back taxes from Apple, highlighting the trade strains looming over a global economic summit.

The president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, said Sunday that the Group of 20 meeting “must urgently find a solution” to excess steel production that Beijing’s trading partners blame for job losses. He called on China to accept a monitoring mechanism.

Juncker also rejected U.S. criticism of an EU order for Ireland to collect $14.5 billion in back taxes from Apple. An EU panel ruled the company’s low taxes were improper government aid.